BlogWatch: Keeping an eye online

In the first column in a new series inspired by the revelations in Nicky Hager's book Dirty Politics, Radio New Zealand journalist Peter Fowler looks at the bloggers' take on Pam Corkery's verbal castigation of journalists, National's housing policy launch, Kim Dotcom, and worries that trolls are dominating the blogosphere.

In breaking news today a police officer was shot in the line of duty in a Hamilton supermarket, which commentator Paul Brislen saw as an opportunity for a joke.

Photo: Ex Twitter

WhaleOil highlighted a report suggesting the Internet Party president was threatening to sue Cameron Slater, who was apparently avoiding danger in Israel.

Meanwhile Herald Investigative journalist David Fisher, who wrote a book with Kim Dotcom, confirmed Cameron Slater was a source of his, and that it was "warm and cosy" in Mr Slater's tent. "Slater kept journalists like he would have kept hunting dogs - hungry, leashed and fed with morsels until they are ready to be unleashed after whatever game he was hunting."

Meanwhile some bloggers appeared to be getting a touch nervous about "trolls "

Photo: Ex Twitter

And it was not just bloggers getting nervous.

Photo: Ex Twitter

"Once was a journalist" Bill Ralston spotted this trend last week and decided to do something about it.

Photo: Ex Twitter

On Public Address, Russell Brown said he "really, really" didn't think Kim Dotcom was @whaledump and gave an account of the "intriguing affair" which was the Internet Mana party launch.

The No Minister Blog enjoyed the "totally awesome spectacle of Pam Corkery giving the assembled journalists a right bollocking" at the Internet Mana Party launch, while saying that its "National Party mates" housing policy was "terrible."